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Records found at the Town of Caledon Municipal Office show that
the village in 1852 was called "McCurdy's Village - and in
1857 was called "Belfountain".
How did Belfountain become the official name for the village known
for so many years as McCurdy's Village? There seems to be a space
of time - from 1850 to 1860 - for which true facts and figures cannot
be found. Perhaps no one will ever know.
For example, the Tremaine map of 1859, which was compiled and drawn
by George R. Tremaine, distinctly spell the name of the village
- Bellefountain!
The J.H. Pope map published by Walker and Miles, Toronto, in 1877
has the spelling - Belfountain.
One record contradicts another - after all, one hundred and twenty
five years is a long way to stretch memories even if such persons
could be found who were alive at that time of history.
But whatever the spelling, when the name was first changed from
McCurdy's Village, it has been home to many; a lovely spot to live;
and a tourist attraction for many, many thousands from all parts
of Canada and other lands.
William Frank arrived in 1825 and established a mill on River Road
or Mill Street. Little is known about the mill or its success, save
to say that it passed into the hands of the McCurdy Family, who
arrived in the area shortly after William Frank.
As time passed, the village encompassed a wagon shop, a post office,
a school - and since these were "God-Fearing Christians, their
need for spiritual guidance was recognized and a Baptist and Methodist
church came into the village.
When a large octagonal shaped building was used by the local blacksmith
as a cooperage, the town received a peculiar nickname. Since it
was adjacent to the town pump and since the building looked like
a tub and dominated the centre section of the village, outsiders
dubbed the village "Tubtown". It was later moved to the
village of Erin to their dismay.
With the establishment of large quarry operations in the nearby
villages of Forks of the Credit and Brimstone, the growth of Belfountain
was assured.
In 1879 the Credit Valley Railway came through and the establishment
of a station in the vicinity was of utmost importance. The surveyors
began to search for a route up the Credit River towards Orangeville.
They found the west branch of the Credit River towards Belfountain.
They found the grades too steep and the route was abandoned in favour
of the main River Valley. In order to cross the west branch of the
Credit, it was necessary for the railway to build a trestle; the
famous Forks of the Credit trestle... the longest trestle in Ontario
in 1879, and at its northern end was the station that served Belfountain;
the Forks of the Credit Station.
As a result of the coming of the railway, the quarries sprang up
all over the Credit Forks area and Brimstone and the Forks of the
Credit became thriving communities. As both of these village's prospered,
so did Belfountain since it became the centre of commerce for all
three ... it had the mills for grain and lumber, it had the stores
and provided housing for most of the quarry management and some
of the skilled workers.
When the quarries and lime kilns dwindled, the importance of Belfountain
dwindled too and the village began to settle back to the small hamlet
it is today.
There were many families, most of them gone but not forgotten,
who helped to make McCurdy's Village that picturesque little hamlet
which later became the bustling village of Belfountain.
Family names like:
William Frank, McCurdy, Bull, William Kirkwood, John Burnett, J.T.
Bush, William Barber, Noah Herring, Robert Western Brock, Peter
Blair, James Steel, John McLeod, Michael Baker, John Crichton, Hugh
McLaren, Frederick Frank, Sharp, Peter McTaggart, William MacDonald
"Honest Mac", Thomas Jefferson, Malcom Ramsay, William
Jacques, Eagles, James Graham, Alexander Pattullo, John Foster,
Daniel McLachlan, J.R. Trimble.
The above information came from the books "Belfountain and
the Tubtown Pioneers" (Margaret Whiteside) and "Belfountain
Caves Castles and Quarries in the Caledon Hills" and "Remember
When" both by Berniece Trimble.
Written by J. E. (Ted) Titterton
For a fun read, we recommend Bernice Trimble's, "Caves, Castles
and Quarries". Thank you.
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